Court extends NFL lockout pending June 3 appeal

The NFL has won another round in the court fight with its players.

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday decided that the league's lockout of players should stay in place until a full appeal is heard on whether it is legal. The 2-1 decision mirrored the panel's earlier decision granting a temporary stay - including a lengthy dissent from the same judge.

The appellate court said it believed the NFL has proven it will "likely will suffer some degree of irreparable harm without a stay."

A June 3 hearing is scheduled to hear arguments on the legality of the lockout. Basically, nothing will change for eager, locked-out NFL players now until after the June 3rd hearing.

While the ruling was made, the players and owners met under a court-ordered, federally mediated negotiating session to resolve their differences, ESPN reports, adding that it was the fifth day of talks in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan, but the first since April 20.

In a report, ESPN writes: "At the same time, U.S. District Judge David Doty is determining the fate of some $4 billion in broadcast revenue he previously ruled was unfairly secured by the NFL in the last round of contract extensions with the networks to use as leverage in the form of lockout insurance. The players have asked Doty to put that money in escrow and for more than $707 million in damages, too."

ESPN Insider's Adam Schefter tweeted after the verdict: "Owners now have the leverage. This is a complete win for the owners. Players are in trouble, based on judge's words in this ruling."